Yarns and fabrics having a wash-durable non-electrically conductive topically applied metal-based finish

ABSTRACT

Durable non-electrically conductive metal treatments (such as coatings or finishes) for yarns and textile fabrics are provided. Such treatments preferably comprise silver and/or silver ions; however, other metals, such as zinc, iron, copper, nickel, cobalt, aluminum, gold, manganese, magnesium, and the like, may also be present or alternatively utilized. Such a treatment provides, as one example, an antimicrobial fiber and/or textile fabric which remains on the surface and does not permit electrical conductivity over the surface. The treatment is extremely durable on such substrates; after a substantial number of standard launderings and dryings, the treatment does not wear away in any appreciable amount and thus the substrate retains its antimicrobial activity (or other property).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to co-pendingapplication Ser. No. 09/586,381 filed Jun. 2, 2000. This parentapplication is herein entirely incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in durable non-conductivemetal-based treatments (such as coatings or finishes) for yarns andtextile fabrics. Such treatments preferably comprise silver and/orsilver ions; however, other metals, such as zinc, iron, copper, nickel,cobalt, aluminum, gold, manganese, magnesium, and the like, may also bepresent or alternatively utilized. Such a treatment provides, as oneexample, an antimicrobial fiber and/or textile fabric which remains onthe surface and does not permit electrical conductivity over thesurface. The treatment is extremely durable on such substrates; after asubstantial number of standard launderings and dryings, the treatmentdoes not wear away in any appreciable amount and thus the substrateretains its antimicrobial activity (or other property). The method ofadherence to the target yarn and/or fabric may be performed any numberof ways, most preferably through the utilization of a binder system orthrough a transfer method from a donor fabric to a target textile fabricin the presence of moisture and upon exposure to heat. The particularmethods of adherence, as well as the treated textile fabrics andindividual fibers are also encompassed within this invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There has been a great deal of attention in recent years given to thehazards of bacterial contamination from potential everyday exposure.Noteworthy examples of such concern include the fatal consequences offood poisoning due to certain strains of Eschericia coli being foundwithin undercooked beef in fast food restaurants; Salmonellacontamination causing sicknesses from undercooked and unwashed poultryfood products; and illnesses and skin infections attributed toStaphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, yeast, and otherunicellular organisms.

With such an increased consumer interest in this area, manufacturershave begun introducing antimicrobial agents within various householdproducts and articles. For instance, certain brands of polypropylenecutting boards, liquid soaps, etc., all contain antimicrobial compounds.The most popular antimicrobial for such articles is triclosan. Althoughthe incorporation of such a compound within liquid or polymeric mediahas been relatively simple, other substrates, including the surfaces oftextiles and fibers, have proven less accessible. There is a long-feltneed to provide effective, durable, and long-lasting antimicrobialcharacteristics for textile surfaces, in particular on apparel fabrics,and on film surfaces. Such proposed applications have been extremelydifficult to accomplish with triclosan, particularly when washdurability is a necessity (triclosan easily washes off any suchsurfaces).

Furthermore, although triclosan has proven effective as an antimicrobialcompound, the presence of chlorines and chlorides within such a compoundcauses skin irritation which makes the utilization of such with fibers,films, and textile fabrics for apparel uses highly undesirable.Furthermore, there are commercially available textile productscomprising acrylic and/or acetate fibers co-extruded with triclosan (forexample Celanese markets such acetate fabrics under the name Microsafe®and Acordis markets such acrylic fibers under the tradename Amicor®).However, such an application is limited to those types of fibers; itdoes not work specifically for and within polyester, polyamide, cotton,spandex, etc., fabrics. Furthermore, this co-extrusion procedure is veryexpensive.

Silver-containing inorganic microbiocides have recently been developedand utilized as antimicrobial agents on and within a plethora ofdifferent substrates and surfaces. In particular, such microbiocideshave been adapted for incorporation within melt spun synthetic fibers,as taught within Japanese unexamined Patent Application No. H11-124729,in order to provide certain fabrics which selectively and inherentlyexhibit antimicrobial characteristics. Furthermore, attempts have beenmade to apply such specific microbiocides on the surfaces of fabrics andyarns with little success from a durability standpoint. A topicaltreatment with such compounds has never been successfully applied as adurable finish or coating on a fabric or yarn substrate. Although suchsilver-based agents provide excellent, durable, antimicrobialproperties, to date such is the sole manner available within the priorart of providing a long-lasting, wash-resistant, silver-basedantimicrobial textile. However, such melt spun fibers are expensive tomake due to the large amount of silver-based compound required toprovide sufficient antimicrobial activity in relation to the migratorycharacteristics of such a compound within the fiber itself to itssurface. A topical coating is also desirable for textile and filmapplications, particularly after finishing of the target fabric or film.Such a topical procedure permits treatment of a fabric's individualfibers prior to or after weaving, knitting, and the like, in order toprovide greater versatility to the target yarn without altering itsphysical characteristics. Such a coating, however, must prove to be washdurable, particularly for apparel fabrics, in order to be functionallyacceptable.

Furthermore, in order to avoid certain problems, it is highly desirablefor such a metallized treatment to be electrically non-conductive on thetarget fabric, yarn, and/or film surface. With the presence of metalsand metal ions, such a wash durable, non-electrically conductive coatinghas not been available in the past. Such an improvement would thusprovide an important advancement within the textile, yarn, and film art.Although antimicrobial activity is one desired characteristic of theinventive metal-treated fabric, yarn, or film, this is not a requiredproperty of the inventive article. Odor-reduction, heat retention,distinct colorations, reduced discolorations, improved yarn and/orfabric strength, resistance to sharp edges, etc., are all eitherindividual or aggregate properties which may be accorded the user ofsuch an inventive treated yarn, fabric, or film.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a simple manner ofeffectively treating a yarn, textile, or film with a wash-durableantimicrobial metal or metal-ion containing treatment. A further objectof the invention is to provide a treatment for textiles or films whichis wash-durable and continuously reduces and/or removes malodors fromthe target surface through the utilization of metals or metal-ions.Another object of the invention is to provide an aesthetically pleasingmetal- or metal-ion-treated textile or film which is non-electricallyconductive, wash durable, non-yellowing, non-irritating to skin, andwhich provides either or both antimicrobial or odor-reducing properties.

Accordingly, this invention encompasses a treated substrate comprising anon-electrically conductive treatment comprising metal-containingcompounds selected from the group consisting of metalparticle-containing compounds, metal ion-containing compounds, and anycombinations thereof, and a substrate selected from the group consistingof a yarn, a fabric comprised of individual yarns, and a film; whereinsaid compound or compounds is present on at least a portion of thesurface of said substrate; and wherein at least about 30%, of theoriginally adhered metal-containing treatment remains on said treatedportion of said substrate surface after at least 10 washes, said washesbeing performed in accordance with the wash procedure as part of AATCCTest Method 130-1981. Still more preferably at least 50% of themetal-containing compounds remain after 10 washes, more preferably 60%after 10 washes, and most preferably at least 75% after the same numberof washes. Furthermore, it is also highly preferred that at least 30% ofthe finish is retained after 15 washes, 20 washes, and most preferablyabout 30 washes.

Also, and alternatively, this invention encompasses a treated substratecomprising a non-electrically conductive treatment comprisingmetal-containing compounds selected from the group consisting of metalparticle-containing compounds, metal ion-containing compounds, and anycombinations thereof, and a substrate selected from the group consistingof a yarn, a fabric comprised of individual yarns, and a film; whereinsaid compound or compounds is adhered to at least a portion of thesurface of said substrate; and wherein said treated substrate exhibits alog kill rate for Staphylococcus aureus of at least 1.5, preferablyabove 2.0, more preferably above 3.0, and a log kill rate for Klebsiellapneumoniae of at least 1.5, preferably above 2.0, and more preferablyabove 3.0, both as tested in accordance with AATCC Test Method 100-1993for 24 hour exposure, after at least 10 washes, said washes performed inaccordance with the wash procedure as part of AATCC Test Method130-1981. Such an invention also encompasses the different methods ofproducing such a treated substrate. The wash durability test noted aboveis standard and, as will be well appreciated by one of ordinary skill inthis art, is not intended to be a required or limitation within thisinvention. Such a test method merely provides a standard which, upon 10washes in accordance with such, the inventive treated substrate will notlose an appreciable amount of its electrically non-conductive metalfinish.

The amount retained may be measured in any standard manner, such as, forexample, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), oratomic absorption (AA) spectroscopic analysis. Or, again, in thealternative, the durability of certain finishes may be determined (i.e.,the retention of finish on the surface) in relation to antimicrobialperformance. Thus, with an antimicrobially effective finish, theexhibition of log kill rates for Klebsiella pneumoniae or Staphylococcusaureus after 24 hours exposure in accordance with AATCC Test Method100-1993 of at least 1.5, and higher, as noted above, for both after 10washes in accordance with AATCC Test Method 130-1981. Preferably, theselog kill rates are above 3.2, more preferably 3.5, and most preferablyat least 4.0. Again, such log kill rates after the minimum number ofwashes symbolizes the desired durability level noted above.

Nowhere within the prior art has such a specific treated substrate ormethod of making thereof been disclosed, utilized, or fairly suggested.The closest art is a product marketed under the tradename X-STATIC®which is a fabric article electrolessly plated with a silver coating.Such a fabric is highly electrically conductive and is utilized forstatic charge dissipation. Also, the coating alternatively exists as aremovable silver powder finish on a variety of surfaces. Theaforementioned Japanese patent publication to Kuraray is limited tofibers within which a silver-based compound has been incorporatedthrough melt spun fiber techniques. Nowhere has such a wash-durabletopical treatment as now claimed been mentioned or alluded to.

Any yarn, fabric, or film may be utilized as the substrate within thisapplication. Thus, natural (cotton, wool, and the like) or syntheticfibers (polyesters, polyamides, polyolefins, and the like) mayconstitute the target substrate, either by itself or in any combinationsor mixtures of synthetics, naturals, or blends or both types. As for thesynthetic types, for instance, and without intending any limitationstherein, polyolefins, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, andpolybutylene, halogenated polymers, such as polyvinyl chloride,polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyester/polyethers,polyamides, such as nylon 6 and nylon 6,6, polyurethanes, as well ashomopolymers, copolymers, or terpolymers in any combination of suchmonomers, and the like, may be utilized within this invention. Nylon-6,nylon-6,6, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate (a polyester)are particularly preferred. Additionally, the target fabric may becoated with any number of different films, including those listed ingreater detail below. Furthermore, the substrate may be dyed or coloredto provide other aesthetic features for the end user with any type ofcolorant, such as, for example, poly(oxyalkylenated) colorants, as wellas pigments, dyes, tints, and the like. Other additives may also bepresent on and/or within the target fabric or yarn, including antistaticagents, brightening compounds, nucleating agents, antioxidants, UVstabilizers, fillers, permanent press finishes, softeners, lubricants,curing accelerators, and the like.

Particularly desired as optional and supplemental finishes to theinventive fabrics are soil release agents which improve the wettabilityand washability of the fabric. Preferred soil release agents includethose which provide hydrophilicity to the surface of polyester. Withsuch a modified surface, again, the fabric imparts improved comfort to awearer by wicking moisture. The preferred soil release agentscontemplated within this invention may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.3,377,249; 3,540,835; 3,563,795; 3,574,620; 3,598,641; 3,620,826;3,632,420; 3,649,165; 3,650,801; 3,652,212; 3,660,010; 3,676,052;3,690,942; 3,897,206; 3,981,807; 3,625,754; 4,014,857; 4,073,993;4,090,844; 4,131,550; 4,164,392; 4,168,954; 4,207,071; 4,290,765;4,068,035; 4,427,557; and 4,937,277. These patents are accordinglyincorporated herein by reference. Additionally, other potentialadditives and/or finishes may include water repellent fluorocarbons andtheir derivatives, silicones, waxes, and other similar water-proofingmaterials.

The particular treatment must comprise at least one type ofmetal-incorporating compound (namely metal particles), metal-ioncontaining particles, or mixtures thereof. The term metal is intended toinclude any such historically understood member of the periodic chart(including transition metals, such as, without limitation, silver, zinc,copper, nickel, iron, magnesium, manganese, vanadium, gold, cobalt,platinum, and the like, as well as other types including, withoutlimitation, aluminum, tin, calcium, magnesium, antimony, bismuth, andthe like). More preferably, the metals utilized within this inventionare generally those known as the transition metals. Of the transitionmetals, the more preferred metals are silver, zinc, gold, copper,nickel, manganese, and iron. Most preferred are silver and zinc. Suchmetals provide the best overall desired characteristics, such as,preferably, antimicrobial and/or odor reducing characteristics, certaincolorations, good lightfastness, and, most importantly, wash durabilityon the target substrate.

The term metal particle is intended to encompass any compound withinwhich the metal is present in its pure non-ionic state (thus silverparticles are present, as one example). The term metal-ion containingencompasses compounds within which the ionic species of metals arepresent (such as metal oxides, including, as mere examples, zinc oxidefor Zn²⁺, silver oxide for Ag⁺, and iron oxide for Fe²⁺ or Fe³⁺, or, asalternatives, ion-exchange resins, zeolites, or, possibly substitutedglass compounds, which release the particular metal ion bonded theretoupon the presence of other anionic species). The preferred metalparticle compound is produced through a reduction procedure and may beany of silver, nickel, copper, zinc, and iron. With a reducing agent,the salts utilized for this purpose are thus preferably silver (I)nitrate, nickel (II) perchlorate, copper (II) acetate, and iron (II)sulfate. The preferred metal-ion containing compound for this inventionis an antimicrobial silver zirconium phosphate available from Milliken &Company, under the tradename ALPHASAN®, although any silver-containingantimicrobial compound, including, for instance, and as merely someexamples, a silver-substituted zeolite available from Sinanen under thetradename ZEOMIC® AJ, or a silver-substituted glass available fromIshizuka Glass under the tradename IONPURE®, may be utilized either inaddition to or as a substitute for the preferred species. Also preferredas such a compound is zinc oxide, zinc ricinoleate, zinc chloride, andzinc sulfate. Other metals, as noted above, may also be utilized;however, from a performance standpoint, silver and zinc, are mostpreferred.

Generally, such a metal compound is added in an amount of from about0.01 to 40% by total weight of the particular treatment composition;more preferably from about 0.05 to about 30%; and most preferably fromabout 0.1 to about 30%, all dependent upon the selected method ofapplication. The metal compound is then added to the target substrate ina) amounts of between 0.01 and 1.0 ounces per square yard, or,alternatively, b) from about 0.01 to about 5% on weight of fabric(“owf”), depending on the selected application and method for measuring.Such proportions provide the best antimicrobial and/or odor-reducingperformance in relation to wash durability, electrical non-conductivity,and overall cost. Preferably this metal compound add-on weight is a)about 0.1, or b) about 1.0% owf. The treatment itself, including anynecessary binders, adherents, thickeners, and the like, is added to thesubstrate in an amount of a) about 0.01 to about 4.0 ounces per squareyard, or b) from about 0.01 to about 10% owf.

Furthermore, the inventive substrates necessarily do not exhibit anyappreciable electrical conductivity (due to the low amounts of metalpresent and thus the nonexistence of any percolation over or through thetarget substrate) as measured by attaching a two-inch by two-inch fabricspecimen to two electrodes and applying a voltage gradient of about 100volts per inch through the fabric (i.e., in accordance with AATCC TestMethod 76-1978). The measured resistance in ohms per square inch shouldexceed about 10,000, preferably 1,000,000, and most preferably 1×10⁹ inorder to provide a substantially non-electrically conductive fabric.

The selected substrate may be any of an individual yarn, a fabriccomprising individual fibers or yarns (though not necessarily previouslycoated yarns), or a film (either standing alone or as laminated to afabric, as examples). The individual fibers or yarns may be of anytypical source for utilization within fabrics, including natural fibers(cotton, wool, ramie, hemp, linen, and the like), synthetic fibers(polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, polyaramids, acetates, rayon,acrylics, and the like), and inorganic fibers (fiberglass, boron fibers,and the like). The target yarn may be of any denier, may be of multi- ormono-filament, may be false-twisted or twisted, or may incorporatemultiple denier fibers or filaments into one single yarn throughtwisting, melting, and the like. The target fabrics may be produced ofthe same types of yarns discussed above, including any blends thereof.Such fabrics may be of any standard construction, including knit, woven,or non-woven forms. The films may be produced from any thermoplastic orthermoset polymer, including, but not limited to, polyolefins(polypropylene, polyethylene, polybutylene), polyvinyl chloride,polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl acetate, and the like, polyesters(polyethylene terephthalate, isophthalates, and the like) polyethers,acetates, acrylics, and polyamides, as well as any copolymer films ofany of the above. Such films may be extruded, blown, rolled, and thelike, and may be produced in situ on the surface of a target fabric orproduced separately and subsequently adhered or laminated on a targetsurface. Also, such films may be produced, treated, and utilizedseparately from any other substrates.

The yarns are preferably incorporated within specific fabrics, althoughany other well known utilization of such yarns may be undertaken withthe inventive articles (such as tufting for carpets). The inventivefabrics may also be utilized in any suitable application, including,without limitation, apparel, upholstery, bedding, wiping cloths, towels,gloves, rugs, floor mats, drapery, napery, bar runners, textile bags,awnings, vehicle covers, boat covers, tents, and the like. The inventivefilms may be present on fabrics, or utilized for packaging, as coatingsfor other types of substrates, and the like.

Yarn and fabric substrates are preferably treated with a metal particleor metal-ion containing finish. Films are preferably treated withmetal-ion containing formulations on the surface of film-coated fabrics.

Metal Particle Treatments

The preferred metal particle composition will generally comprise fourcomponents: water, a metal salt, a reducing agent, and a polymericbinder. As noted above, the metal is produced through the reduction ofthe metal ion upon dissolution of the metal salt in solution. Thisspecific process actually blends two different technologies,specifically the formation of colloidal particles by chemical reductionand steric stabilization of such particles by surfactant or polymer andthe modification of a fiber (or textile) surface through the utilizationof a polymeric binder. In the instance, the steric stabilizer and thefiber (or textile) binder are the same polymeric compound.

Such a metal particle dispersion is generally produced as follows: Asolution of the polymeric binder and water is produced having a polymerconcentration between 0.1% and 20% (w/w). The solution is then dividedbetween two containers, one containing a dissolved metal salt (i.e. ametal salt MA dissociates completely to M⁺ and A⁻) and in the other, adissolved reducing agent. When the two solutions are thoroughly mixed,they are then combined very quickly. When combined, the reducing agenttransfers an electron to the metal cation and reduces it to its neutralform (M_(n) ⁺+e⁻→M_(n) ⁰). The metal atoms quickly agglomerate to formlarger (1-1000 nm) particles. The steric stabilizer acts by adsorbing tothe surface of the growing particles and thereby prevents catastrophicflocculation of the particles into macroscopic (˜mm in diameter)aggregates by limiting the distance of closest approach.

It is important to note that the selection of the particular polymericbinder is crucial to the success in attaining the desired durability andeffectiveness of the specific coating as this binder component must meeta number of important criteria. First, since high salt concentrationsare necessary to generate large numbers of metal particles, and suchsalts generally cause many polymeric binder dispersions to flocculateout of solution, the particular binder must not react in such a mannerin order to effectively stabilize the particles that are produced (asnoted above). Secondly, the binder must not act like typical textilebinders (which do not stabilize the particles and thus allow thenucleated particles to flocculate rapidly into macroscopic assemblies)which would render the resultant solution unusable in this application.Thirdly, it is important that the polymeric stabilizer, once processed,be able to withstand home washing under a wide range of conditions andmaintain the silver concentration on the textile. Thus, it must not bereadily soluble in water, must not be susceptible to attack by standardand/or industrial detergents, solvents, and/or bleaches, and must notmelt upon exposure to drying temperatures. The utilization of such aspecific binder to provide a metal coating to fibers and/or fabrics isthus drastically different from other previous practices in this areaand permits a topical application of such a coating either before orafter the particular substrate has been finished. In order to providethe requisite wash durability, this binder must pass these stringentcriteria. No teaching or fair suggestion exists within the prior art ofsuch requirements.

As noted previously, the preferred metal salts for this procedure aresilver (I) nitrate, nickel (II) perchlorate, copper (II) acetate, andiron (II) sulfate. The concentrations of these salts within theimmersion bath can be increased to ˜2% before the kinetics of reductionand aggregation overwhelm the kinetics of polymer adsorption and mixingand cause significant aggregation/clumping of the metal. The preferredmetal salt is silver (1) nitrate and is present in a concentration offrom about 0.01% to about 10%, more preferably from about 0.1% to about5.0%, and most preferably about 1.0% within the immersion bath.

The preferred reducing agents are sodium borohydride (NaBH₄), sodiumhydrosulfite, and trisodium citrate (Na₃C₆H₅O₇), although any standardreducing agent associated with the above-listed metal salts may beutilized. The former is a stronger reducing agent that reacts with themetal completely within seconds of mixing. An undesirable byproduct ofthis reaction is hydrogen gas that causes significant foaming whenmixed. The latter two do not have this effect, but are milder reducingagents and require heating to near boiling to cause the reaction toproceed.

The polymeric binder may be selected from certain resins andthermoplastics, such as melamine resins and polyvinylchloride-containing polymers. Of particular interest, and thus thepreferred polymeric binders for this process are melamine-formaldehyderesins (such as a resin available from BF Goodrich under the tradenameAerotex®), polyvinyl chloride/vinyl copolymers (such as a copolymer alsoavailable from BF Goodrich under the tradename Vycar® 460×49), andPVC/acrylic resins available from BF Goodrich. It has been found thatupon exposure to an ammonium sulfate catalyst and curing at 350° C. for2 minutes, the melamine provides durable finish on either a fiber or afabric of at least 30 washes. The copolymer requires no catalyst andperforms similarly to the melamine in wash durability when cured for thesame time and at the same temperature. (Table 1 lists the ICP readingfor silver as a function of home washes using Aerotex® M3 and BFG Vycar®in a pad.)

The solution described above can be applied to fabric or yarn in anumber of ways. Included in this list, which is by no means exhaustive,are pad coating, screen coating, spraying, and kiss-coating(particularly for yarn applications). The preferred coating and methodare discussed in greater depth below.

Metal-Ion Containing Coatings

The preferred procedures utilizing metal-ion containing compoundsinclude any of the following, depending on the desired characteristicsof the final product. One alternative utilizes the silver-ion compoundnoted above, such as either ALPHASAN®, ZEOMIC®, or IONPURE® as preferredcompounds (although any similar types of compounds which provide silverions may also be utilized), exhausted on the target fabric or filmsurface and then overcoated with a binder resin. Alternatively, themetal-ion containing compound may be admixed with a binder within a dyebath, into which the target fabric or fiber is then immersed at elevatedtemperatures (i.e., above about 50° C.).

Such a procedure was developed through an initial attempt atunderstanding the ability of such metal-ion containing compounds toattach to a fabric surface. Thus, a sample of ALPHASAN® was firstexhausted from a dye bath on to a target polyester fabric surface. Thetreated fabric exhibited excellent log kill rate characteristics;however, upon washing in a standard laundry method (AATCC Test Method130-1981, for instance), the antimicrobial activity was drasticallyreduced. Such promising initial results led to the inventivewash-durable antimicrobial treatment wherein the desired metal-ioncontaining compound would be admixed or overcoated with a binder resinon the target fabric surface.

The binder resin should exhibit little or no water solubility(substantially water-insoluble), and must readily adhere to either thefabric surface or to the metal-ion containing compound itself. Such abinder resin can thus be selected from the group consisting of nonionicpermanent press binders (i.e., cross-linked adhesion promotioncompounds, including, without limitation, cross-linked imidazolidinones,available from Sequa under the tradename Permafresh®) or slightlyanionic binders (including, without limitation, acrylics, such asRhoplex® TR3082 from Rohm & Haas). Other nonionics and slightly anionicsmay be utilized as long as they provide the desired adhesioncharacteristics. Such potential compounds include melamine formaldehyde,melamine urea, ethoxylated polyesters, such as Lubril QCX™ availablefrom Rhodia, and the like. The initial exhaustion of ALPHASAN® is thuspreferably followed by a thin coating of binder resin to provide thedesired wash durability characteristics for the metal-based particletreatment. The antimicrobial characteristics of the treated fabricremained very effective for the fabric even after as many as tenstandard laundering procedures.

Also possible, though less effective as compared to the aforementionedbinder resin overcoat, but still an acceptable method of providing awash-durable antimicrobial metal-treated fabric surface, is theapplication of a metal-ion containing compound/binder resin from a dyebath mixture. The exhaustion of such a combination is less efficaciousfrom an antimicrobial activity standpoint than the overcoat procedure,but, again, still provides a wash-durable treatment with acceptableantimicrobial benefits. In actuality, this mixture of compound/resin maybe applied through spraying, dipping, padding, and the like.

Another preferred alternative concerns the treating of individualfibers. Such an alternative has proven very effective, most particularlyin a package dyeing method. In such a procedure, a dye bath comprisingthe desired metal-ion containing compounds and binder agents is pumpedthrough a tightly wound spool of yarn (or fiber). This is generally arather difficult process to perform effectively since the particle sizesof the constituent dye bath solids might interfere with the requisitepump pressure to force the dye bath liquor through the entire “package”of yarn. Furthermore, such a dyeing method must produce a uniformtreatment of all the portions of the target yarn throughout the“package”; particle size and thoroughness of mixing are thus of vitalimportance to impart of even treatment over the entire yarn.

Surprisingly, this procedure works very well for imparting awash-durable metal treatment on the yarn surface. Upon treatment oftarget yarns, such yarns can then be woven, knit, or incorporated withina non-woven fabric structure to form a textile. The textile exhibitssimilar colorations, log kill rates, and the like, at discrete locationsof the textile. Without intending to be bound to any specific theory, itis believed that the binding agent appears to affix itself over themetal-ion containing compounds adhered to the yarn surface, or that thebinding agent adheres to the yarn surface, to which the metal-ioncontaining compound then affixes itself (and to which binding agent mayalso affix). As such, and again, very surprisingly, the desiredmetal-ion containing compounds were small enough to be forced throughthe yarn “package” in order to treat the entire target yarn. In such analternative method, the high pressure procedure necessary for providingthe antimicrobial solid application on the surface of the target yarnsmust be sufficient to permit penetration of the solid compounds into theactual yarn structure. A high temperature may be desired to permit“opening” of the fiber structure to facilitate such solids introductionwithin a solid yarn. In general, the high pressure conditions must befrom about 0.1 and 100 pounds per square inch with an exposure time offrom about 5 seconds to about 5 hours at a temperature in the range fromabout 25° to about 325° C. Such conditions are most readily providedwithin a jet dye, closed vessel system, and appears to work most readilyfor package dyed yarns. The type of fiber is consequential only to theextent that certain temperatures permit easier penetration withincertain fibers. Thus, natural fibers (such as cotton) require relativelylow temperatures to “open” of the cellulosic structure; nylon requires amuch higher temperature (to exceed its glass transition temperature,typically) to provide the most effective antimicrobial characteristics.For the most part, the high pressure actually appears to force the solidparticles into the yarns; surprisingly, such solid-solid interactionworks to retain a substantial amount of the solid antimicrobial, evenafter washing. Preferably, however, a binder agent is added to aid insolid particle retention since such solid particles will most likelyexhibit a desire to become detached from the yarn over time.

Another alternative utilizes a metal oxide treatment on a fabric or filmsurface, such as, preferably, zinc oxide, coated with a hydrophobicbinding agent mixed with a synergistic amount of a polymeric hydrophilicmaterial, applied to a fabric or film surface, primarily to provide awash-durable odor-reducing finish on the target fabric. Generally, thepresence of such a wash-durable hydrophobic binding agent is possibleonly on a hydrophobic fabric surface. However, hydrophobic fabric doesnot wick moisture and thus is very uncomfortable to wear (if utilized asapparel fabric) as compared to a hydrophilic moisture-wicking fabric.Also, such a hydrophobic binding agent overcoat for the metal oxideodor-reducing material would detrimentally mask the metal oxide surfaceand retard the odor neutralizing action of the effective compound,particularly when present on and/or in a wet fabric. However, in orderto provide a wash-durable metal oxide odor-reducing finish to a textileor fabric, seemingly there is a need to provide a complete hydrophobicbinding agent over the metal oxide. When such a “required” excess ofhydrophobic agent binder is present, again, the metal oxide (i.e., zincoxide) would most likely be encapsulated and thus will not contact thetargeted odor-producing compounds. A reduction in such hydrophobicbinding agent results in a lack of sufficient adhesion between the metaloxide particles and the target fabric to provide a wash-durable andwear-durable finish. It was found, surprisingly, that the necessarycomfort (due to wicking of moisture) and simultaneous retention ofsufficient adhesion are provided through the addition of a hydrophilicagent to the zinc oxide/binding agent formulation. With such anaddition, a durable, moisture-wicking, and odor-reducing textilefinish/coating is provided.

Of great and surprising interest is the apparent synergistic interactionbetween the zinc oxide, binding agent and hydrophilic agent. Thehydrophilic agent not only provides moisture-wicking comfort to thetarget fabric, but also facilitates the interaction of odor compounds inhuman perspiration with the preferred zinc oxide to allow efficient odorneutralization. In general the weight ratio of zinc oxide to resinbinder is in the range of 100:1 to 1:100 to be effective. The ratiobetween 1:2 and 2:1 is preferred. One suitable wetting agent for thisapplication may possess both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties withinits structure. In such an instance, the specific hydrophilic moiety mustbe present in an amount sufficient to permit any moisture spread on thetreated fabric surface. The finish also requires sufficient amounts of ahydrophobic moiety within its structure to make it water soluble. As aresult, the finish will not be easily washed off in repeated washingcycles. Examples of such preferred wetting agents are sulfonatedpolyesters, ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymers, and ethoxylatedpolyesters. The preferred metal oxide is zinc oxide with fine particlesize and high surface area. Fine particle size allows uniformdistribution in an application medium and renders the treatmentsubstantially transparent. Large particle zinc oxide tends to give awhite background shade to a textile and therefore affects the appearanceof the product. Particle sizes for this application should be preferablybelow 3 micrometers, most preferably, less than 1 micrometer. Zinc oxidehigh specific surface area is also preferred for this application.Preferred specific surface area of zinc oxide for this application is 10m²/g or more. The preferred embodiments of these alternatives fabrictreatments are discussed in greater detail below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Examples of particularly preferred compounds within the scope of thepresent invention are set forth below. None of the following inventivefabrics exhibited any electrical conductivity.

A) Silver-Particle Yarn and Fabric Treatments

The dispersions used in the durability and log kill study for theresultant articles with silver-particle treatments contained thefollowing concentrations (all % are per weight of solution): 1% AgNO₃,0.5% NaBH₄, 5% binder resin, 3% hydroxyethylcellulose thickener, and90.5% water. The print pattern used was a 12 dpi dot pattern with eachdot having ˜0.5 mm diameter circular shape.

Three sets of samples were tested at three different numbers of washes.The three sets were: a) untreated 100% polyester multifilament fabric,b) the same type of fabric treated with just the desired binder resin,and c) the same type of fabric treated with the above-describedsilver-particle dispersion. Each sample was tested for 0, 15 and 30washes. To minimize the potential biocidal activity of the detergent,the 15 and 30 wash samples were run through two additional rinse cyclesbefore analysis. In the pertinent Tables which follow, the log killresults were performed with a) an initial Staphylococcus aureusconcentration of 3.8×10⁶ CFU/mL and b) a Klebsiella pneumoniae inoculuminitial concentration of about 18,000,000 CFU/mL.

The following three treatments were performed and shown to create ahighly washfast metal particle finish:

1) Pad Coating

The fabric article (100% polyester fabric) was dipped into a silverparticle/polymeric dispersion comprising about 1 part of silver colloidsolution and about 5 parts of a binder resin. Particular resins testedwere Aerotex® M3, Vycar® 460×49, and a PVC/Acrylic resin (all resinsavailable from BF Goodrich). The immersed fabric was then removed andrun through a pad roll. The fabric was then heated to 350° C. for 2minutes. The resulting fabric was then first analyzed for particle countremaining on the fabric surface after treatment by ICP spectroscopy,both initially and after a number of washes utilizing the standardlaundering procedure of AATCC Test Method 130-1981. The results arepresented in tabular form below:

TABLE 1 Particle Count on Fabrics Pad Coated with Silver ParticleDispersions # of ICP for Silver (ppm) ICP for Silver (ppm) WashesPVC/Acrylic Binder With Aerotex ® M3 Binder 1 5210 7074 10 3993 6250 203555 6149 30 2841 4965

Thus, the retention of the metal finish was excellent for both binders(77% after 10 washes, 68% after 20, 55% after 30 for the PVC/Acrylicbinder; 88% after 10 washes, 87% after 20, and 70% after 30). It shouldbe noted that these measurements are subject to the variability withinthe measuring instrument as well; although they are consideredrelatively and should not deviate in any significant amount from thetabulated results, variations in results may occur. Furthermore, thetreated fabrics were also tested for electrical conductivity through themethod noted above (AATCC Test Method 76-1978); the noise of themeasuring instrument exceeded any signal of the resistance measuringinstrument, thus, the resistance is so high for the fabric that noappreciable conductivity was exhibited by all of the tested samples.

2) Yarn Application

In this method, the metal particle dispersion was applied utilizing akiss-coater, which consists of a roll which constantly rotates in a bathof the metal dispersion. The roll transferred the solution to the topside of the roller, where an end of yarn passed against the roller andinto an oven where it was cured at 350° C. for 2 minutes then taken uponto a bobbin for further processing. The metal particle coated yarn wasmeasured to be electrically non-conductive (by the spaced electrodemethod noted above) and typically included from about 20 to 30% byweight of the metal-particle dispersion. The silver-coated yarn was thenknit or woven into a fabric with non-treated yarns at a ratio of 1treated yarn to every 15 untreated yarns. The treated yarns were visibleon only one side of the treated fabric and the resultant fabricexhibited excellent sustained antimicrobial performance. Table 3 showsICP results for silver as a function of washes for a “sock” knit from 70denier treated yarn and 500 denier untreated yarn.

TABLE 2 Durability of Silver-Particle Coated Yarns Woven into Fabrics #of Home ICP for Silver (ppm) Washes With Aerotex ® M3 Binder 0 3798 103709 20 3297 30 3286

3) Screen Printing

In a screen printing application, the dispersion described above wasthickened and pressed through a printing screen onto one side of afabric in a finishing step. The preferred thickening agent for thisembodiment is Aqualon® Natrosol 99-250 HHR (in a concentration range of1-10% by weight of solution) with the preferred concentration being 3%(which provides a desired intrinsic viscosity of from about 100,000 toabout 400,000, preferably 200,000, centipoise at standard temperatureand pressure). The viscosity of the metal particle/polymer dispersionmay also be adjusted with the utilization of sufficient amounts ofhydroxyethylcellulose; however, mixtures of HEC and the Aqualon®thickeners may prove sufficient to provide a resultant, preferredviscosity of 200,000 cps. Although preferred thickeners for screenprinting have been found, one of ordinary skill in this art wouldappreciate that any number of acceptable thickeners may be utilized,either alone, or in combination, to provide the desired and/or necessityviscosity level in order to perform such a screen printing procedure.The thickened metal-particle containing dispersion was applied to thetarget fabric by squeezing it through a patterned rotary screen. The“coated” fabric was then cured at 350° F. for at least 2 minutes toproduce a coating that was washfast through at least 30 washes. Table 4provides this durability data:

TABLE 3 Durability of Screen Printing on Fabric with Silver-ParticleDispersions # of Home ICP for Silver (ppm) Washes With PVC/AcrylicBinder 0 312 10 266 20 135 30 109

The treated fabric was then analyzed for its ability to provideantimicrobial effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiellapneumoniae. The results were as follows:

TABLE 4 Staphylococcus aureus Effectiveness # Washes Control BinderFabric from TABLE 3 0 0.35 0.83 5.56 15 1.00 1.06 4.08 30 0.07 1.20 5.54

TABLE 5 Klebsiella pneumoniae Effectiveness # Washes Control BinderFabric from TABLE 3 0 1.93 2.28 3.94 15 2.73 2.79 5.33 30 2.04 2.66 5.33

The durable treatment not only retained its integrity over the targetfabric surface, but also continued to provide an effective antimicrobialtreatment as well.

B) Silver Ion Exchange, Silver Zeolite, and Zinc Oxide Fabric Treatments

As noted above, treatments of specific metal-ion containing compoundshave proven to be wash-durable on certain yarn and fabric surfaces aswell. These include the following, preferably with either the ALPHASAN®silver-based compounds or with zinc oxide. The following preferredembodiments exhibited resistivity measurements well in excess of 1×10⁹ohms per square inch of fabric in accordance with AATCC Test Method76-1978.

1) Exhaustion of Compound Followed with Binder Resin Overcoata) Acrylic Binder Resin—A dispersion of ALPHASAN® (silver-based ionexchange compound available from Milliken & Company) was first producedthrough the mixing of about 30% by weight of the silver-based compound,about 23.0% by weight of a mixture of anionic surfactants, Tamol® SN,available from Rohm & Haas, and Synfac®) 8337, available from Milliken &Company, and the remainder water. This dispersion was then appliedthrough exhaustion within a dye bath to four fabric samples (all of 100%polyester construction; with 51 picks by 52 ends; 300 deniermultifilament yarn). Two were dyed at a temperature of about 280° F.;the others at a temperature of about 265° F. The exhaustion level of theactive ALPHASAN® compounds on the target fabrics was about 1.0% owf. Thefabrics were then coated with an acrylic binder material, Rhoplex®TR3082, in an amount of about 2.5% owf. The coated fabrics were thenheat-set at 380° F. The log kill rate for unwashed fabrics for S. aureuswas measured to be 4.9; for K. pneumoniae, 2.54. The results aftermultiple washings are tabulated below:

TABLE 6 Log Kill Rates After Multiple Washings With Acrylic Overcoat LogKill Rate Log Kill Rate Number of Washes for S. aureus for K. pneumoniae1 4.59 2.28 5 4.15 2.20 10 3.13 1.97

It is important to note, and as is well appreciated and understood byone of ordinary in the art, that variations in log kill ratemeasurements are prevalent, though, reliable, due to inherentdifficulties in both biological testing and in the ability to establishcompletely controlled bacterium counts on such surfaces. These resultsthus show very favorable antimicrobial performance and thus excellentwash durability on the fabric surface.

b) Permanent Press Binder Resin—The same type of ALPHASAN® dispersionand exhaustion procedure was followed as above. The overcoat, however,was Permafresh®, available from Sequa. Again, about 2.5% owf of thisovercoat resin was applied over the ALPHASAN®-treated fabrics. Alsoadded within the dye bath was a butyl benzoate carrier in an amount ofabout 2.5% owf. The log kill results for this sample were as follows:

TABLE 7 Log Kill Rates After Multiple Washings With Permanent PressOvercoat Log Kill Rate Log Kill Rate Number of Washes for S. aureus forK. pneumoniae 0 3.21 5.32 1 4.11 3.89 5 2.98 3.03 10 3.94 4.23

Excellent durability results were thus obtained with such a system.

c) PD-92 Binder Resin—The same type of ALPHASAN® dispersion andexhaustion procedure was followed as above. The overcoat, however, wasPD-92 available from Milliken & Company. Again, about 2.5% owf of thisovercoat resin was applied over the ALPHASAN®-treated fabrics. Alsoadded within the dye bath was a butyl benzoate carrier in an amount ofabout 2.5% owf. The log kill results for this sample were as follows:

TABLE 8 Log Kill Rates After Multiple Washings With PD-92 Overcoat LogKill Rate Log Kill Rate Number of Washes for S. aureus for K. pneumoniae0 3.30 3.36 1 3.15 2.72 5 3.18 2.26 10 3.03 1.78

Excellent durability results were thus obtained with such a system aswell.

d) Effect of Increased amount of ALPHASAN® on Wash Durability—The samefabric treatments (with Permafresh® binder resin) as above wereperformed with the amount of ALPHASAN® increased to a 4% owf activeaddition to the target fabric surface (about 13.3% owf of thedispersion). The same padding on of the permanent press binder wasfollowed as above. The log kill results for K. pneumoniae are asfollows:

TABLE 9 Log Kill Rates With High Add-On of Silver-Based Compound Numberof Washes Log Kill Rate for K. pneumoniae 0 5.6 5 5.7 10 4.4

Again, excellent durability was obtained.

e) Effect of Increased amount of Permanent Press Binder Resin on WashDurability—The same fabric treatments (with Permafresh® binder resin) asabove were performed with the padded on amount of binder resin increasedto a 7.5% owf addition to the target fabric surface. The log killresults for K. pneumoniae are as follows:

TABLE 10 Log Kill Rates With High Add-On of Permanent Press Binder ResinNumber of Washes Log Kill Rate for K. pneumoniae 0 5.7 5 4.0 10 3.9

Again, excellent wash durability results were obtained.

2) Exhaustion of Compound with a Binder Resin

A dispersion of ALPHASAN® (silver-based ion exchange compound available,from Milliken & Company) was first produced through the mixing of about30% by weight of the silver-based compound, about 23.0% by weight of ananionic surfactant mixture of Tamol® and Synfac® 8337 surfactant, andthe remainder water. This dispersion was then applied through exhaustionwithin a dye bath which included an acrylic binder (Rhoplex® TR3082)which was present within the dye bath in a concentration of about 2.5%owf. A 100% polyester fabric (same as above) was then placed within thedye bath which was then heated to a temperature of about 280° F. Theexhaustion level of the active ALPHASAN® compounds on the target fabricswas about 1.0% owf. The fabrics were then heat-set at 380° F. The logkill rate for unwashed fabrics for S. aureus was measured to be 2.35;for K. pneumoniae, 5.38. The results after multiple washings aretabulated below:

TABLE 11 Log Kill Rates After Multiple Washings With Acrylic Resin LogKill Rate Log Kill Rate Number of Washes for S. aureus for K. pneumoniae1 1.50 2.37 5 1.17 2.37 10 1.36 2.98

These results show very favorable antimicrobial performance and thusexcellent wash durability on the fabric surface, though less favorablethan for the resin overcoated fabrics.

3 Exhaustion of Other Silver-Based Compounds

The same general exhaustion methods were followed as above with the samepadding on (denoted as P in the table below) and dye bath application (Din the following table) of a permanent press binder as above as well.The different silver-based compounds applied were AmpZ200 (a TiO2/silvermetal product available from DuPont), and ZEOMIC® AJ80H. The add-onweights of these were the same 1.0% owf treatment as for the ALPHASAN®noted above. The durability results for these compounds were as followsfor K. pneumoniae log kill rates:

TABLE 12 Log Kill Rates With Other Silver-Based Compounds Log Kill RateCompound Number of Washes for K. pneumoniae AmpZ200 (P) 0 2.76 AmpZ200(P) 10 1.82 AmpZ200 (D) 0 2.06 AmpZ200 (D) 10 1.36 ZEOMIC ® AJ80H (P) 05.31 ZEOMIC ® AJ80H (P) 10 1.64 ZEOMIC ® AJ80H (D) 0 4.31 ZEOMIC ® AJ80H(D) 10 1.92

These are excellent durability results, although not as good as for theALPHASAN® treatments.

4) Package Dyeing Method

Again, as with all of the other inventive fabrics and yarns, themeasured resistivity of the following yarns and fabrics exceeded 1×10⁹ohms per square inch.

Example 1

Several spools of 150 denier polyester multifilament yarn were placedwithin a sealed dye bath. The dye bath liquor contained 1.0% owf ofactive ALPHASAN®, 0.5% by weight of nonionic leveler 528 (butylbenzoate, available from Milliken & Company), and the balance water.After sealing of the chamber, the pump was activated at a pressure of 60psi at a temperature of about 280° F. The pump remained activated forabout 60 minutes. The resultant spools of yarn were then utilized in aknitting operation to produce a sock. Three different discrete areas ofthe sock were tested for log kill rates for K. pneumoniae afterdifferent numbers of launderings. The colorations of the sock remainedvirtually the same after such repeated launderings. The log kill resultsare tabulated below:

TABLE 13 Log Kill Rates On The Knit Fabrics (Binder-Free) Number ofWashes Log Kill Rate for K. pneumoniae 0 4.43 5 4.13

The knit fabric thus retained a substantial amount of its ALPHASAN®finish applied during the package dyeing process for an extremely longduration.

Example 2

Several spools of 150 denier multifilament polyester yarn were placedwithin a sealed dye bath. The dye bath liquor contained 1.0% owf ofactive ALPHASAN®, 0.5% owf nonionic leveler 528, 2.0% owf of Rhoplex®TR3082 (an acrylic-based slightly anionic binding agent), and thebalance water. After sealing of the chamber, the pump was activated at apressure of 60 psi at a temperature of about 280° F. The pump remainedactivated for about 60 minutes. The resultant spools of yarn were thenutilized in a knitting operation to produce a sock. Three differentdiscrete areas of the sock were tested for log kill rates for K.pneumoniae after different numbers of launderings. The colorations ofthe sock remained virtually the same after such repeated launderings.The log kill results are tabulated below:

TABLE 14 Log Kill Rates On The Knit Fabrics (With Acrylic Binder) Numberof Washes Log Kill Rate for K. pneumoniae 0 4.43 5 4.20 10 4.03

The knit fabric thus retained a substantial amount of its ALPHASAN®finish applied during the package dyeing process for an extremely longduration.

Example 3

Several spools of 150 denier multifilament polyester yarn were placedwithin a sealed dye bath. The dye bath liquor contained 1.0% owf ofactive ALPHASAN®, 0.5% owf of nonionic leveler 528, and the balancewater. After sealing of the chamber, the pump was activated at apressure of 60 psi at a temperature of about 280° F. The pump remainedactivated for about 60 minutes. The resultant spools of yarn were thenutilized in a knitting operation to produce a sock. A permanent pressbinding agent (2.0% owf of Permafresh®, available from Sequa) was thenpadded on the entire sock. After drying, three different discrete areasof the sock were tested for log kill rates for K. pneumoniae afterdifferent numbers of launderings. The colorations of the sock remainedvirtually the same after such repeated launderings. The log kill resultsare tabulated below:

TABLE 15 Log Kill Rates On The Knit Fabrics (With Permanent PressBinder) Number of Washes Log Kill Rate for K. pneumoniae 0 4.43 5 4.4210 3.85

The knit fabric thus retained a substantial amount of its ALPHASAN®finish applied during the package dyeing process for an extremely longduration.

Metal Oxide Odor Reduction Fabric Treatments

A dispersion having the following components was mixed thoroughly:

COMPOSITION Component Amount (in grams) Zinc oxide powder (Aldrich, <1micron) 2.0 grams Rhoplex ® E-32NP (acrylic resin binder) 8.0 gramsMillitex ® PD-92 (wetting agent) 2.0 grams Ultratex ® MES (fabricsoftener) 0.5 grams water  90 grams

One swatch of dyed knit polyester fabric was impregnated with the mixedsolution and dried at 350° F. for 3 min to obtain a treated fabric. Thetreated fabric exhibited no noticeable color or flexibility change.Several drops of a dilute aqueous isovaleric acid solution (1 drop ofacid in 50 grams of water), to simulate unpleasant foot odor, was thenapplied to the unwashed fabric. The solution quickly wicked into thefabric and the unpleasant odor quickly disappeared. The treated fabricwas then laundered in accordance with the AATCC Test Method 130-1981 for10 cycles; the same wicking and odor removal was exhibited by the zincoxide treated fabric. Thus, the zinc oxide treatment remained intact onthe fabric surface. Furthermore, the sample was tested for electricalconductivity by measuring resistance over the entire fabric. The fabricsample exhibited 1013 ohms/square inch of fabric; thus, effectively noconductivity existed.

The sample was then washed in accordance with AATCC Test Method 130-1981and then analyzed for odor reduction and antimicrobial activity inaccordance with 24 hour inoculation exposure of Klebsiella pneumoniaeunder AATCC Test Method 100-1983. The results were as follows:

TABLE 16 # of Washes Log Kill Reduction Odor Neutralization? 1 3.1 Yes10 3.6 Yes 25 ~3.0 Yes

Furthermore, X-ray fluorescence was performed on the above sample toindicate the amount of zinc retained on the fabric surface as wellthrough the peak size in relation to the signal emitted by zinc on thesubstrate surface. The results were as follows:

TABLE 17 Number of washes Zinc X-ray counts 0 162,644 2 113,133 1087,471 20 49,801

Thus, excellent wash durability was exhibited even after twenty washessince about 30% was retained from the initial zinc count.

Lightfastness of Certain Samples

The samples tested in TABLE 6, above, as well as other fabrics andcomparative samples were analyzed for the lightfastness of the colorexhibited by the treated fabrics after topical application of thedesired metal-based finish. Such analysis involved testing in accordancewith The Engineering Society for Advancing Mobility Land Sea Air andSpace Textile Test method SAE J-1885, “(R) Accelerated Exposure ofAutomotive Interior Trim Components Using a Controlled Irradiance WaterCooled Xenon-Arc Apparatus.” Color lightfastness is generally calculatedby the following equation:

ΔE*=((L′ _(initial) −L′ _(exposed))²+(a′ _(initial) −a′ _(exposed))²+(b′_(initial) −b′ _(exposed))²)^(1/2)

wherein ΔE* represents the difference in color between the fabric uponinitial latex coating and the fabric after the above-noted degree ofultra violet exposure. L′, a′, and b′ are the color coordinates; whereinL′ is a measure of the lightness and darkness of the colored fabric; a′is a measure of the redness or greenness of the colored fabric; and b isa measure of the yellowness or blueness of the colored fabric. A low ΔE*shows excellent lighffastness for the tested fabric; a ΔE* greater thanabout 5.0 is unacceptable and shows a yellowing tendency for the treatedfabric. As noted above, the ALPHASAN®-treated polyester sample fromTABLE 6 was subjected to a Xenon Arc Lamp Test at 225 kJ/m² for both 20and 40 hours to analyze the yellowing characteristics of the treatedfabric. At 20 hours, the fabric exhibited a ΔE* of about 1.95; at 40hours, a ΔE* of about 3.38. Thus, the treated fabric exhibited excellentlighffastness properties.

Further samples of 65%/35% polyester/cotton blend shirts were alsotested for such lighffastness results after receiving ALPHASAN®treatments from dryer donor sheets comprising 0, 9%, and 20% (made inaccordance with the method discussed above) of the silver-based ionexchange compound. The results were tabulated as follows:

TABLE 18 Amount of ALPHASAN ® ΔE* at 20 hours ΔE* at 20 hours 0 0.480.72 9 1.03 1.23 20 1.34 1.82

Clearly and surprisingly, the silver treated fabrics exhibitedacceptable lighffastness characteristics.

There are, of course, many alternative embodiments and modifications ofthe present invention which are intended to be included within thespirit and scope of the following claims.

1. A printed fabric having a first surface and a second surface, whereinsaid fabric has a non-continuous finish printed on at least a portion ofsaid first surface, wherein said finish comprises: (a) 0.1 to 40 weightpercent of a metal compound selected from the group consisting of silverparticle-containing compounds, silver ion-containing compounds, silverion-generating compounds, and any combinations thereof, and (b) a binderagent; and wherein said printed fabric is electrically non-conductive.2. The printed fabric of claim 1, wherein said metal compound is asilver ion-containing compound.
 3. The printed fabric of claim 2,wherein said silver ion-containing compound is silver zirconiumphosphate.
 4. The printed fabric of claim 1, wherein said binder agentis anionic or nonionic, and wherein said binder agent, after processingand application to said fabric: (a) is not readily soluble in water, (b)is not susceptible to attack by standard laundering additives selectedfrom the group consisting of detergents, solvents, bleaches, andmixtures thereof, and (c) is not susceptible to degradation due toexposure to high temperatures associated with standard laundry dryingtemperatures.
 5. The printed fabric of claim 1, wherein said binderagent is selected from the group consisting of cross-linkedimidazolidinones, acrylic binders, melamine resins, polyvinylchloride-containing polymers, ethoxylated polyesters, and blendsthereof.
 6. The printed fabric of claim 1, wherein said fabric iscomprised of fibers selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers,wool fibers, ramie fibers, hemp fibers, linen fibers, polyolefin fibers,polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, polyaramid fibers, acetate fibers,rayon fibers, acrylic fibers, and blends thereof.
 7. The printed fabricof claim 1, wherein said finish is printed on said fabric viascreenprinting techniques.
 8. The printed fabric of claim 1, wherein atleast a portion of said second surface of said fabric is printed withsaid non-continuous finish.
 9. The printed fabric of claim 1, whereinsaid fabric exhibits antimicrobial properties.
 10. A printed fabric,wherein said fabric is comprised of 100% polyester fiber, wherein saidfabric is characterized by having a non-continuous finish printed on atleast one surface of said fabric, wherein said finish comprises: (a) 0.1to 40 weight percent of a silver particle-containing compound, and (b) abinder agent selected from the group consisting of polyvinylchloride-containing polymers, acrylic binders, and blends thereof; andwherein said printed fabric is electrically non-conductive.
 11. Theprinted fabric of claim 10, wherein said fabric exhibits antimicrobialproperties.